Quinoa Hemp Veggie Burgers – Just in time for Spring!

﻿Quinoa Hemp Veggie Burgers

By: Chef Inga Voloshin

The thing that’s always bugged me about veggie burgers is that a lot of them don’t really taste like burgers, they don’t have the meatiness of a real burger, and more often than not they leave you wanting more. That’s why I’ve developed a truly satisfying veggie burger, which with the help of rich, flavorful, and nutritious ingredients like hemp seeds, quinoa, and black beans will definitely hit the spot. Not your typical “bootleg burger,” this veggie burger is the real deal.

Ingredients for the hemp veggie burger:

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 scallion (1/2 oz), finely chopped

3 oz Yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 oz (or 1 small) red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, grated

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

Quinoa

½ cup hulled hemp seeds

¼ tsp chili powder

¼ tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp hemp seed oil

Ingredients for the Spicy Hemp Aioli (sauce that has a fun spicy flare)

1 egg

2 tbsp salt

Vegetable oil, as needed

Whole wheat buns, as needed

2 tomatoes, sliced

2 cups baby spinach, (optional)

This recipe is very straightforward. In fact, it’s as simple as combining everything in a bowl.

Making the Burger

Mixing the Ingredients in bowl

Start by throwing everything, except for the buns, tomatoes, spinach, and hempseed aioli, into a large bowl. You will need a potato masher and a little bit of muscle power to mash everything up. Once all of the ingredients have come together (it doesn’t have to be completely mashed, chunks are okay), work the mixture slightly more with your hands.

Cooking the Burger

﻿Coat the bottom of a large non-stick pan with vegetable oil, and place over medium-high heat. You can use any neutral oil with a high smoke point, like canola or peanut oil. I would have loved to use hempseed oil for frying but it has a lower smoke point, so you have to be careful when cooking with it at high temperatures.
Form the burger mixture into 7-8 patties, depending on how big you want your burgers to be, and sprinkle with salt on each side. Place the patties into the heated pan, pressing them down gently with the palm of your hand. Try not to overcrowd the pan. Work in batches, or with two pans at a time. Cook the burgers 6-7 minutes per side, lowering the heat if the pan gets too hot.

Toast the buns in a lightly greased pan until lightly golden. Place a few leaves of baby spinach on the bottom bun of each burger. Follow with veggie burger, a tomato slice, and a large dollop of spicy hemp aioli. Top with a bun, and don’t hesitate to dig in!

This burger is packed with flavor on its own, but with the help of a special sidekick, it goes to the next level. That sidekick is a spicy hemp aioli, and it literally gives you a kick. The rich nuttiness of the hempseed oil is perfectly balanced by the spice of chipotle peppers and the acidity of fresh lemon juice.

Here is what you will need to make the Spicy Hemp Aioli

Aioli adding hemp Oil

1 egg

3 tsp chipotle in adobo

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 cloves garlic

½ cup hemp seed oil

Salt, to taste

Chef Inga mixing the ingredients

A food processor or blender is best for making this creamy aioli, but if you’re feeling up for it (and you have strong forearms) a bowl and a whisk is all you need.

If using a food processor or blender, combine egg, chipotle, lemon juice, and garlic until smooth. With the machine still running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Season to taste with salt. If you’re taking the old fashion route with a whisk, follow the same procedure, just crush or finely mince the garlic before adding it to the mix.

the completed hemp veggie burgersChef Inga Voloshin

About Inga Voloshin: Inga is a chef and food writer. Turning her longtime passion for food into a career, Inga has honed her culinary skills by working for some of the top restaurants and catering companies in New York City. Her writing has appeared in nationwide publications.

Inga received her Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies from Hunter College, and studied culinary arts at the Institute of Culinary Education, where she graduated with high honors. She is currently working on publishing a pregnancy cookbook.

Inga’s cooking philosophy entails bringing the elegance and bold flavors of good restaurant fare into the home kitchen. She experiments with various ethnic cuisines and fresh local ingredients on a daily basis. Taking a particular interest in healthful cooking as of recently, Inga has made hemp a staple in her own kitchen, and uses it in countless recipes.